Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal may not have anything in common with former Congress chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, but both display a similar trait when it comes to flying off to undisclosed foreign shores.

All ministers are supposed to take prior permission of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) before going abroad, chiefly due to security concerns. The MEA is even empowered to deny permission, though it rarely does so. Sukhbir, however, did not find it important to intimate the MEA, though his party had been highly critical of Amarinder’s flying abroad without permission from the Centre.

For Sukhbir, who left for an undisclosed destination with his family a couple of days ago, this is his third foreign visit this year. While he had intimated the MEA on the two earlier visits, this time the state Government sent the intimation, without mentioning the country or countries he would be visiting, only after he had left.

“The Government only said he was going abroad on a private visit and will bear the expenses. According to rules, the VVIP visiting abroad should give the entire itinerary to the ministry well in advance so that the latter can coordinate and make arrangements and get back to the state Government,” said an official.

Sukbir's office had sent a letter to the Chief Minister's Office about his visit shortly before he left. The CM cleared the letter and it was sent to the chief secretary who then forwarded it to the MEA, but by that time Sukhbir had left, said sources.

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